IND vs SA | India’s Predicted XI for third Test in Ranchi
After having sealed the series, a gigantic 11th consecutive win at home, India are in Ranchi eyeing their fifth successive victory in the ICC Test Championship. Hence, the hosts have no solid reason to make any changes in the playing XI for the Ranchi Test, starting on October 19.
Openers
Rohit Sharma: Having started his nascent role as Test opener with a couple of centuries in the first Test in Vizag, the ODI specialist had already sealed his spot for the remainder of this series against South Africa. Despite his failure to score in the one innings that India got to bat in the Pune Test, things are not supposed to change in the final fixture.
Mayank Agarwal: With a prior experience of just three Test matches, Agarwal elegantly converted his maiden Test hundred into a double hundred. The innings gave us a sheer glimpse of his temperament. That followed by a hundred in Pune has consolidated his position in the Indian Test setup. He is the highest run-getter in the home series so far with 330 runs scored at an average of 110.
Middle-order
Cheteshwar Pujara: Things turned around well after a slow start and unsteady start for Pujara, who was India’s biggest reason behind lifting the Test series title in Australia last year, in the ICC Test Championship. He scored two consecutive half-centuries in his last couple of innings and will be once again the backbone of India’s middle-order.
Virat Kohli: With his unbeaten 254 in Pune he has announced the return of his exceptional form once again. Just one point away from Steve Smith, the No.1 batsman in the world, captain Virat Kohli would be hungry for runs, especially since his team has already sealed the three-match series.
Ajinkya Rahane: The middle-order batsman is known to have a better form overseas and he did live up to his reputation at the Caribbean. However, he is heavily backed by his captain and fans expect more from him especially since his half-century in the second Test.
Wriddhiman Saha: After a huge round of conundrum regarding who will trump who to seal the wicketkeeper spot in the home series, Wriddhiman Saha was selected over Pant. The reason being the Bengal keeper’s exceptional keeping. He didn’t quite live up to the expectations in the first Test but those blinders in Pune were testimony to the 34-year-old’s expertise. The Ranchi test would thus be a test for Saha to elongate his stay in the home season.
All-rounders
Ravindra Jadeja: Ever since Sanjay Manjrekar made a sly comment on Ravindra Jadeja, he has been in tremendous form proving more and more against the ‘bits and pieces tag’. A perfect number two for Ashwin, Jadeja has not left a chance to rise to the forefront with the bat and ball both. After producing a gem in Vizag, he scored 91 in the second Test and also played handsomely with the ball. Ranchi would be eager to witness what’s coming next from the spin-bowling all-rounder.
Ravichandran Ashwin: When the conditions are favourable to spinners, Ashwin is just unstoppable and the perfect example of this was seen in Vizag. His consistency was extended In Pune and contributed abundantly to India’s victory. There’s no way that any team with an expert like Ashwin would want to sit him out.
Bowlers
Ishant Sharma: It’s that time of the season when the Indian seamers take a back seat as the spinners lead in the front, with roles reversed. Not heavy on wickets, Ishant Sharma has kept it very tight, putting pressure on batsmen and that has been evidently working for him in this series.
Mohammad Shami: Just wait till there are cracks opening up at the pitch and let Shami, the highest wicket-taker amongst seamers in this series, do his thing. With an exceptional reverse-swinging ability up his sleeve, and Ranchi being perfect for that, expect to see more of the same during the third Test starting on October 19.
Umesh Yadav: In the little exposure that Umesh Yadav has been provided in the ICC Test Championship, that too just at home, the pacer has proven enough to get himself a spot in the Ranchi Test match. Getting a hand at the ball for just 21 overs, he bagged six wickets answering well to the question-’why three seamers on Indian soil?’
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